Play Book Tag discussion

This is the story of the code breakers at Bletchley Hall in England during WWII. There is mention of Ian Fleming and Alan Turing but this story is about the women of the code-breaking group. The story revolves around three characters - Osla, Mab, and Beth. Osla was Canadian but traveled to England to help in the war effort where she started by working in an airplane factory and then at Bletchley. Then there is Mab or Mabel a street smart Londoner. Beth Finch was a spinster under the thumb of her very strict mother. Each of these women became part of the Bletchley Park in different ways and they worked in different areas of the code-breaking process.

The women's friendship, their working environment, the stress of being under the rules of secrecy and their relationships with men in and out of Bletchley. The breakup of the friendship was sad but understandable. Then the search for a traitor within their midst brings the story and their relationship back.

The narrator was very good with the voices during this 16-hour audio. The end includes author notes that point out the real women behind some of these characters and those who rounded out the story and were actual historical figures.

I first became taken with the story of Bletchley when I saw the TV series The Bletchley Circle which is available on Prime. It is also about women who worked at Bletchley during WWII but, this story covers their time after WWII. The aftermath of working at Bletchley is still difficult because the secrecy had to continue. This book has rounded out my interest in this period of WWII. Kate Quinn also wrote another excellent book read and enjoyed. The Alice Network. The rights for this book has been optioned for either a movie or series. I hope I can catch it.

I enjoyed both The Rose Code and The Alice Network. Another one by this author which was also good was The Diamond Eye.